IRMAA life-changing events › Divorce or annulment
IRMAA after divorce or annulment: how to lower it
Your marriage legally ended, so your own income now stands alone. If that lowered your income, Social Security can set your IRMAA from the newer, lower year instead of your income from two years ago. You ask with Form SSA-44 and tick "Divorce/Annulment".
Does it qualify?
Counts
- Your divorce became final
- Your marriage was annulled
Doesn't count
- Separating without a final decree
- The month you filed for divorce (the event is when the decree became final)
Worked example: Carol, divorced in August 2025
Carol's divorce became final in August 2025. Her 2026 premium was set from the joint return she and her ex-husband filed for 2024. For 2025 she files as single, with her own income only.
| Income | MAGI | IRMAA a month |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 joint income (used now) | $262,000 | $95.70 |
| 2025 single income (asked for) | $84,000 | $0.00 |
Saves $95.70 a month
Watch out: Write $0.00 for tax-exempt interest if you had none. A blank box can come back as a question.
Proof of the event: send one
- A certified copy of the divorce decree or annulment decree. Not the separation agreement: the final decree, with the court's certification.
You also need proof of income for the year in Step 2: a signed copy of your Form 1040 or an IRS transcript. For a year you haven't filed yet, your estimate on the form is enough for now.
Don't have it yet?
Check before you send
- Filing status in Step 2 is Single (or Head of Household, if you qualify). Divorced by December 31? You're unmarried for that whole tax year.
- The income is yours only, from your own return or estimate. Including your own tax-exempt interest.
- Your ex-spouse is not on your form. Their IRMAA is separate. They file their own request if they want one.
- Your name and Social Security number are on every page
- You kept a full copy of everything you sent
Send it online after signing in to your my Social Security account, or to your local Social Security office. The Form SSA-44 guide walks through every step. If Social Security says no, see how to appeal IRMAA.
Carol would save $1,148.40 a year. The kit costs $49 once, with a filled SSA-44 for your exact event.
Everything you need to fill out Form SSA-44, prove your life-changing event, and stop paying a surcharge based on income you no longer have.
- SSA-44 walkthrough for all 8 life-changing events
- Evidence checklist for your event
- What gets rejected, and why
- Income estimate worksheet
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The other life-changing events
- Retirement (work stoppage)
- Cutting back hours (work reduction)
- Death of a spouse
- Marriage
- Loss of income-producing property
- Loss of pension income
- Employer settlement payment
Questions people ask
Does divorce or annulment count as a life-changing event for IRMAA?
Yes. "Divorce/Annulment" is one of the 8 life-changing events on Form SSA-44. Your marriage legally ended, so your own income now stands alone. It lowers IRMAA only if your income dropped enough to move you to a lower bracket.
What proof do I need?
A certified copy of the divorce decree or annulment decree. You also need proof of income for the year in Step 2: a signed copy of your tax return or an IRS transcript, or your estimate for a year not filed yet.
What date goes in Step 1?
The month and year the decree became final. Not the month you separated or filed.
Which tax year do I put in Step 2?
The first year with the lower income. It must be more recent than the year Social Security used, and not before the event. If this year (the premium year) will be lower than last year, use this year as an estimate.